Residents say ‘no thanks’ to Scituate coastal project

SCITUATE, Massachutes — The town’s plan for protecting North Humarock from future winter storms is dead in the water after a majority of residents refused to sign easements that would allow a dune nourishment and road elevation project to move forward.

The project had been broken down into three phase. The first phase would have nourished an area of 34 homes – a 1,800 ft. section, from 10 Cliff Road South to 130 Central Ave., Washburn said.

The town had received two state grants totaling $300,000 for the dune nourishment project.

A long-term maintenance easement was required for the upkeep of the berm, and an easement that would have allowed public access within the easement property would also have been necessary because state funds were involved with the project.

“People could still not cut through private property,” Washburn said, had the easements been received. “They could not park on Central Ave. and walk onto someone’s yard.”

Several public meetings had been held over the past few years. Washburn and Kyle Boyd, coastal management officer, spoke with residents via email and phone conversations as a means to keep communication open.

The deadline to receive the easements was Nov. 15 and only nine of the necessary 34 easements were received.

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